Vehicular multi-camera surround view system with video display

ABSTRACT

A vehicular multi-camera surround view system includes a front camera, a driver-side camera, a passenger-side camera and a rear backup camera. Image data captured by the cameras is conveyed to an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is operable to combine image data conveyed from the front camera, the driver-side camera, the passenger-side camera and the rear backup camera to form composite video images, which are output for display at a display device. Rear backup video images are displayed no later than two seconds after the driver of the vehicle first changes propulsion of the vehicle during a new ignition cycle to reverse mode. Upon changing propulsion of the vehicle during the new ignition cycle to reverse mode to commence a backup event subsequent to the first backup event, the video display screen displays video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by the rear backup camera.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/949,314, filed Oct. 26, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,155,211,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/819,718,filed Mar. 16, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,814,785, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/693,504, filed Nov.25, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,589,678, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/458,392, filed Jul. 1, 2019, now U.S.Pat. No. 10,486,597, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/203,965, filed Nov. 29, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,336,255,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/675,920,filed Aug. 14, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,144,352, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/460,666, filed Mar.16, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,731,653, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/295,057, filed Oct. 17, 2016, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,598,014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/042,664, filed Feb. 12, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,469,250,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337,filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,264,672, which claims thefiling benefits of U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/466,138,filed Mar. 22, 2011, Ser. No. 61/452,816, filed Mar. 15, 2011, and Ser.No. 61/426,328, filed Dec. 22, 2010, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vision display systems for vehiclesand, more particularly, to a vision display system that selectivelydisplays rearward images captured during a reversing maneuver anddisplay a surround view or bird's-eye view or representation of thevehicle for viewing by the driver of the vehicle when the driver isoperating the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rear backup cameras and surround vision/panoramic vision systems used inconjunction with interior rearview video mirrors and instrumentpanel/center console information screens (such as navigation screens)are known for use in vehicles. Examples of such systems are described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,859,565; 6,611,202; 6,222,447; 5,949,331; 5,670,935and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. It is known to display images captured by a rearwardviewing imaging sensor or camera on a video display screen that isassociated with or incorporated in an interior rearview video mirrorassembly of the vehicle. Such interior rearview video mirror displayscreens typically have about a 3.5 inch or thereabouts diagonaldimension and a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio, while instrument panel/centerconsole screens (commonly used for navigational screens but also usedand usable for displaying infotainment information or other informationuseful to the driver of the vehicle) typically have a larger diagonaldimension, often greater than about 6 inches diagonal dimension (such as7.8 inches or thereabouts) and are used for likes of displaying mapinformation and/or driving instructions and/or other informationrelating to vehicle features or functions. The smaller video mirrordisplay screens are located in the interior rearview mirror assembly ofthe vehicle and thus are typically disposed in the vehicle at a locationthat is closer to the driver's eyes than other known or typical orconventional in-cabin and driver-viewable display screens, which areoften disposed at the instrument panel or a central console or the likeof the vehicle. Such instrument panel or a central console displays canbe as large as 8.5 inch diagonal dimension (or even larger in somevehicles) whereas, because of the fit and function in the vehicle of theinterior rearview mirror assembly, the video screen in an interior videomirror assembly is restricted in size to, in practical terms, a diagonaldimension of up to 4 inches or thereabouts.

It is also known to provide a surround view or “bird's-eye” view display(showing a representation of the vehicle from a top or bird's-eye viewabove the vehicle to enhance the driver's understanding of the areassurrounding the vehicle for use such as in parking maneuvers and thelike) via a surround system vision such as a camera or vision system ofthe type shown in FIG. 1 (showing a vehicle 10 with a forward viewingcamera 12, side-viewing cameras 14, 16 disposed at or in the exteriorsideview mirror assemblies and a rearward viewing camera 18). Such abird's-eye view or image or representation may be displayed on a 3.5inch diagonal video mirror display and are typically displayed on larger(such as greater than about 5 inches diagonal dimension) displayscreens, such as larger display screens disposed at a center console orinstrument panel of the vehicle, such as for displaying navigationinformation or infotainment information (such as radio or audio systeminformation) and/or the like. In such conventional bird's-eye viewdisplays, it is common and desirable, when executing a reversingmaneuver, to display to the driver both the actual video images capturedin real time by the rear backup camera of the equipped vehicle, and alsoto display to the driver a bird's-eye composite or synthetic view(sometimes called a top-down view) where the video images captured bythe rear camera are combined with video images captured by a forwardviewing camera, typically at the grille at the front of the vehicle, andby two exterior mirror-located cameras mounted respectively in theexterior sideview mirrors and having a field of view to the respectiveside of the vehicle. Examples of bird's eye view systems and associatedtechniques are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,670,935; 6,636,258;7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466 and/or7,592,928, and/or International Publication No. WO 2010/099416,published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filedAug. 31, 2010, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. Conventionally, the bird's-eye view and view of therearward images being captured by the rear-mounted camera as part of arear backup aid are displayed on a single display screen, typically acenter console display screen.

Recently, the Department of Transportation, National Highway TrafficSafety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Notice of Proposed new RuleMaking (NPRM). The caption of the NPRM is shown in FIG. 2 and aspects ofthe proposed Final Rule are summarized/captured in FIGS. 3-5. The NPRMwas printed in the Federal Register: Dec. 7, 2010 (Vol. 75, No. 234),pages 76185-76250; Part IV, Department of Transportation, NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration, 49 CFR Parts 571 and 585 [DocketNo.: NHTSA-2010-0162], RIN 2127-AK43, and titled Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standard, Rearview Mirrors; Federal Motor Vehicle SafetyStandard, Low-Speed Vehicles Phase-In Reporting Requirements; ProposedRule, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.The NPRM at S6.2.1.1 requires and specifies a rearview image performancesuch that, when tested in accordance with the procedures in S14.1through S14.2.3 of the NPRM, the rearview image shall display, in alocation visible to a driver properly restrained by seat belts, aminimum of a 150 mm wide portion of each test object located atpositions F and Gin FIG. 5. Also, and in accordance with S6.2.1.2 of theNPRM, when the rearview image is measured in accordance with theprocedures in S14.1 through S14.2.3 of the NPRM, (a) the calculatedvisual angle subtended by the horizontal width of the three test objectslocated at positions A, B, and C in FIG. 5 shall average not less than 5minutes of arc; and (b) the angular size of each individual test object(A, B, and C) shall not be less than 3 minutes of arc.

As can be seen with reference to FIG. 7, in order to have a displayedobject subtend a minimum of 5 minutes of arc angle, the display size ofthe target object (dependent on the distance of the displayed objectfrom the driver's eyes) shown on the screen should be around 0.5 mm to 2mm or thereabouts where the distance from the eyes of the viewer to thescreen is between about 15 inches and about 50 inches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vision display system for a vehiclethat utilizes a video mirror display screen to display rearward imagescaptured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle at an interiorrearview video mirror assembly during a reversing maneuver of thevehicle and that utilizes a separate larger center console or instrumentpanel display screen of the vehicle (such as a reconfigurable liquidcrystal display (LCD) or organic light emitting diode (OLED) screen thatmay typically or commonly be used for displaying navigation informationor infotainment information or other information) to display a surroundview or bird's-eye view or representation of the vehicle at thenavigation screen during the reversing maneuver of the vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vision display systemfor a vehicle includes a plurality of cameras disposed at the vehicleand having exterior fields of view, with the plurality of cameras atleast comprising a rearward viewing camera disposed at the rear of thevehicle, a forward viewing camera disposed at the front of the vehicle,a driver-side viewing camera and a passenger-side viewing camera (withthe driver-side viewing camera and the passenger-side viewing camerapreferably incorporated into the driver-side exterior sideview mirrorassembly and the passenger-side exterior sideview mirror assembly,respectively). The vision display system includes a first display screendisposed, preferably, in an interior rearview video mirror assembly ofthe vehicle (such as behind the mirror reflective element so thatinformation displayed by the first display screen is viewable throughthe reflective element of the interior rearview video mirror assembly,and preferably is viewable through the mirror reflector of thereflective element of the interior rearview mirror assembly). The firstdisplay screen has a first diagonal dimension and a first aspect ratio.The vision display system includes a second display screen disposed inthe vehicle cabin other than in the interior rearview mirror assembly ofthe vehicle and at a location viewable by the driver when normallyoperating the equipped vehicle, such as at or in a console or instrumentpanel of the vehicle, with the second display screen having a seconddiagonal dimension and a second aspect ratio, and with the seconddiagonal dimension being greater than the first diagonal dimension. Thefirst display screen is operable to display video images captured by therearward viewing camera during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle andthe second display screen (during that reversing maneuver) displays asurround view, panoramic, bird's-eye view or top view image formed as acomposite image derived from and synthesized from image data captured bythe rearward, forward, driver side and passenger side viewing camerasduring that reversing maneuver of the vehicle.

The first display screen preferably comprises a video display screen inthe interior rearview mirror assembly disposed behind the mirrorreflective element (and most preferably disposed behind, and renderedcovert thereby when not backlit, a transflective mirror reflector of themirror reflective element), such as a backlit liquid crystal displayscreen or backlit thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal displayscreen (backlit by a plurality of light emitting diodes or the like),such as a display screen of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,690,268; 7,184,190; 7,274,501; 7,370,983; 7,446,650 and/or 7,855,755,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The first display screen may be operable to display rearwardimages responsive to the driver of the vehicle shifting to a reversegear of the vehicle during reversing of the vehicle, such as isdisclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/285,128, filed Oct. 31,2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,743,203, which is hereby incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

The second display screen may comprise a larger display screen (such asa display screen having a diagonal dimension of at least about 5 inchesor at least about 7 inches or thereabouts). The second display screenmay also function to display navigation information and/or infotainmentinformation and/or other information for viewing and use by the driverof the vehicle when the driver is operating the vehicle other than whenexecuting a reversing maneuver.

Should the driver dwell in reverse gear for a prolonged period of time,the display luminance of at least the first display screen may reduce tomitigate/reduce heat build-up due to prolonged backlighting but iscontrolled such that, at high ambient lighting conditions such asencountered on a sunny day, a display luminance at least of the firstdisplay screen of greater or equal than 500 candelas/square meter ispreserved.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a surround vision display systemand multiple cameras with exterior fields of view;

FIG. 2 identifies the NPRM that is summarized in FIGS. 3-5 and thatrequires minimum display size of targets in images captured by avehicular camera;

FIG. 6 is a view of the rear of a vehicle with target objects rearwardof the vehicle in accordance with the test standards of FIGS. 2-5;

FIG. 7 is an image as captured by the rearward viewing camera of thevehicle of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a table that lists the minimum width of a test object asdisplayed on a display screen for display screens at different distancesfrom the driver's eyes, in order to provide a displayed size thatsubtends a minimum of 5 minutes of arc angle, in order to meet the teststandards summarized in FIGS. 3-5;

FIG. 9 is a rearward video image as captured by a rearward viewingcamera of a vehicle as displayed on a video screen for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver;

FIG. 10 is a surround view or bird's-eye view image as displayedadjacent to the rearward video image of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a comparison of the size of the rearward video image of FIG.9 and the reduced size rearward video image of FIG. 10, which is reducedto accommodate the bird's-eye view image at the display screen;

FIG. 12 is a schematic of a vision display system in accordance with thepresent invention, showing a smaller display screen in an interiorrearview mirror assembly for displaying rear backup assist images duringa reversing maneuver and a larger display screen at an instrument panelor center console for displaying the surround view or bird's-eye viewimage;

FIG. 13 is a schematic of the vision display system of FIG. 12, showingan exemplary displayed image captured by a rearward viewing camera atthe video mirror display and a displayed bird's-eye view representationof the vehicle at a larger display screen at the instrument panel orconsole of the vehicle;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a double ball mounting arrangementsuitable for mounting an interior rearview video mirror assembly of thepresent invention at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equippedvehicle;

FIG. 15 is a graph of the times for starting components of a videodisplay system following a trigger event, in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 16 is a table showing aspects of a video display system and backupassist system of the present invention; and

FIG. 17 is a schematic of another vision display system in accordancewith the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a surround vision display system that isoperable to display, such as during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle,rearward video images at a video display screen disposed at or in aninterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, and is operable todisplay surround view or bird's-eye view or panoramic-view images orrepresentations at a display screen disposed at or in an instrumentpanel or center console or the like of the vehicle. The rearward videoimages are captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle, whilethe surround view display information is based on image data captured bymultiple cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view,these multiple cameras typically including the rearward viewing cameraof the vehicle (that functions as a rear backup camera when reversingthe equipped vehicle). The present invention thus may provide, forexample, a 3.5 inch or thereabouts diagonal interior rearview videomirror display (or other size video display at or in the mirrorassembly) and a 7.8 inch or thereabouts diagonal display screen (orother size display screen that may typically be used with a navigationaland/or infotainment system of the vehicle to display likes map imagesand driving instructions as part of a vehicle-based navigation system orinfotainment systems or the like).

As can be seen with reference to FIG. 9, captured video images 22 (ascaptured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversingmaneuver) may be displayed on a video display screen 20 during areversing maneuver. Because the full dimensions of the video-activeregion of the video screen used in the video mirror assembly issubstantially or fully filled by the rearview image captured by the rearbackup camera, and given that such video mirror screens typically haveabout a 3.5 inches or thereabouts diagonal dimension and have a width toheight (as mounted in the interior rearview mirror assembly) aspectratio typically of likes of about 4:3 or about 16:9, or thereabouts, theimage of the likes of targets A, B and C as located and shown in FIG. 5may be sized large enough on the video display screen to satisfy theregulation standards for a typical distance of the mirror reflectiveelement and video display screen from a typical driver's eyes when thevideo mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle and when atypical driver is normally operating the vehicle (this distance is about24 to 28 inches or thereabouts in many vehicles).

However, and as shown in FIG. 10, when some or a substantial amount ofthe video-active area of video display screen 20 is used for thebird's-eye or panoramic or top-down view or effect 24 to be displayedalong with the rearview image captured by the rear backup camera of theequipped vehicle on the same video screen, the video-active display areaavailable for and used for the rearward image display 22′ captured bythe rear backup camera of the equipped vehicle is correspondinglyreduced, and hence the size of the rearward images (as captured by therear camera) displayed are correspondingly reduced in size. In such ascenario, and of course depending on the size dimensions of the actualvideo screen used and coupled with its distance in the vehicle cabinfrom the driver's eyes), the size dimensions of the likes of targets A,B and C of FIG. 5 may fail to meet the NPRM's S6.2.1.2 size requirementthat, when the rearview image is measured in accordance with theprocedures in S14.1 through S14.2.3 of the NPRM, (a) the calculatedvisual angle subtended by the horizontal width of the three test objectslocated at positions A, B and C in FIG. 5 shall average not less than 5minutes of arc, and (b) the angular size of each individual test object(A, B and C) shall not be less than 3 minutes of arc.

This can readily be seen with reference to FIG. 11, which shows the twodisplay schemes as displayed on an exemplary display. As can be seen inFIG. 11, the displayed rearward image 22 is displayed as a larger imagewhen it is the only image displayed on the display screen, but thedisplayed rearward image 22′ is displayed as a smaller or reduced sizeimage when it is displayed in tandem with the bird's-eye viewrepresentation or schematic 24. Thus, the bird's-eye view effectivelyreduces the effective screen size for displaying rearward imagescaptured by the rear backup camera during a reversing maneuver of thevehicle. Depending on the distance of the mirror assembly and videodisplay screen from the driver's eyes, the reduced size of the rearwardimage display may result in the displayed rearward images not meetingthe size requirements set forth in the proposed Federal SafetyRegulations of FIGS. 2-5.

Thus, in such circumstances (where a bird's-eye view is displayed forviewing by the driver of the vehicle on the one screen along withdisplaying of rearward images captured by the rear backup camera duringa reversing maneuver of the vehicle), the bird's-eye view may cause theoverall rear backup aid system to run afoul of the minimum sizerequirements of the displayed images required in the NPRM, such that alarger screen may be required to display the images. Such larger videodisplay screens may be overly costly and may adversely affect thevehicle styling and manufacturer's preferences (since theoversized/larger video display screens may require a larger consolespace or instrumentation panel space or radio-head space that might bereadily/normally available in the equipped vehicle). The presentinvention resolves such a problem by providing a dual display systemthat utilizes two separate display screens. One display (typically thelarger display) is dedicated, during a reversing maneuver, solely to thecomposite or synthetic bird's eye or panoramic or top down surround viewcomputer-generated display derived from the multiple video imagescaptured by the multiple set of cameras that constitute the multi-camerasurround view system on the equipped vehicle (this display preferably islocated at the front console region or at the instrument panel region orin the radio-head region at the front of the interior cabin of theequipped vehicle and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle whenreversing, though of course other in-cabin locations can becontemplated). The other separate display (typically the smallerdisplay) solely displays the rearward images captured by the rear backupcamera (or rear backup cameras if used) of the equipped vehicle, andpreferably, so displays the images full-screen so that the full displayarea available is filled with the rearward images captured by the rearbackup camera(s), and more preferably, with this other displaycomprising a video screen of an interior rearview video mirror of theequipped vehicle mounted such as at the upper windshield area of theequipped vehicle. The one and the other display are preferablyseparately located and are distant one from another in the cabin of theequipped vehicle in order to enhance the driver's usage and cognitiveappreciation/benefit from the overall system.

For example, and as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the video mirror 26 mayuse or house a first display screen 20 (such as a display screen havingat least a 2.8 inch diagonal dimension, such as about a 3.5 inchdiagonal dimension or larger or smaller depending on the mirror assemblyand vehicle application) to display video images captured by the rearbackup camera during a reversing maneuver, and a second, larger displayscreen 28 (such as a 7.8 inch diagonal screen or 8.5 inch diagonalscreen or the like) may be located at the instrument panel or centerconsole 30 of the vehicle (and located there to provide a display forlikes of a navigation system or infotainment system of the vehicle or todisplay other information for viewing by the driver of the vehicle) toshow the bird's-eye or top-down or panoramic view or effect orrepresentation. Optionally, and alternatively, the larger (particularlyfurther from the driver's eyes, such as in the range of about 30 to 40inches from the driver's eyes or more or less) console or instrumentpanel display 28 may be used to show the rear image 22 for a backupassist function, while the bird's eye view 24 may be provided in thevideo mirror display 20. However, this configuration is less preferredbecause it is desirable to have the rearward image (captured by therearward-viewing camera) displayed at the interior rearview mirrorassembly during a reversing maneuver, since the driver of a reversingvehicle may typically view the interior rearview mirror assembly (andthus the video mirror display that is displaying the backup assistimages) during the reversing maneuver of the vehicle. Advantageously andpreferably, and in conjunction with an image processing-based system(such as via use of an EYEQ™ image processor available from MobilEye ofJerusalem, Israel), a machine-vision generated alert may be generatedand displayed at the interior rearview mirror assembly (and preferablysuperimposed upon the displayed rearview image captured by the backupcamera) to alert the driver to pay closer attention to what may berearward of the equipped vehicle during the reversing maneuver, and suchas by utilizing aspects of the systems described in InternationalPublication No. WO 2010/099416, published Sep. 2, 2010, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Optionally, the bird'seye view vision system and display may utilize aspects of the visionsystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519;7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466 and/or 7,592,928,and/or International Publication No. WO 2010/099416, published Sep. 2,2010, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 andpublished Sep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO 2010/099416,and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/570,017, filed Dec.13, 2011; Ser. No. 61/568,791, filed Dec. 9, 2011; Ser. No. 61/559,970,filed Nov. 15, 2011; and/or Ser. No. 61/540,256, filed Sep. 28, 2011,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The two-display vision display system of the present invention thusprovides enhanced viewing and viewability of rearward captured imagesfrom a rear backup camera displayed on the other display (preferably avideo mirror display) during a reversing maneuver when a bird's-eye viewor representation is also provided and displayed on the separate,distinct, different and distant one display (preferably a consoledisplay or an instrument panel display or a radio head display) via amulti-camera surround system (and preferably with the rear backup camerabeing one of the cameras used in the multi-camera system in thecomputer-generation of the composite or synthetic views shown on thededicated one display when the other display is showing, full-screen,the video output of the rear backup camera of the equipped vehicle). Thevision display system may operate to display the rearward images at thevideo mirror display and the bird's-eye or top down or panoramicimages/view at the navigation or infotainment screen, and may do soresponsive to the driver of the vehicle shifting the vehicle into areverse gear (such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,498,620; 6,222,447and/or 5,949,331, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/056295, filedOct. 14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 as International PublicationNo. WO 2012/051500, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties).

By solely during a reversing maneuver providing the rear backup cameraimages at the video mirror display (without the bird's-eye or top downor panoramic view or effect), the displayed rearward images mayencompass the entire video mirror display screen and thus image size ofan object as displayed may not be reduced by the inclusion of abird's-eye or top down or panoramic view feature. The bird's-eye or topdown or panoramic view or feature may be solely displayed at the largernavigational screen or infotainment screen or other display screen thatis included in the vehicle such as part of a navigational orinformational system of the vehicle. The rear backup images captured bythe rear backup camera during a reversing maneuver preferably aredisplayed, full-screen, by the video screen of an interior rearviewmirror assembly of the equipped vehicle. The present invention thus maymeet the NPRM regulation proposed requirements while providing freedomof design to the vehicle manufacturer.

Optionally, the display system of the present invention may combinethree dimensional (3D) image data or images and auxiliary graphicaldata, preferably such as by utilizing aspects of the systems describedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/201,736, filed Feb. 9, 2010 byNewton et al., and published Dec. 15, 2011 as U.S. Publication No.20110304691, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. The 3D and auxiliary graphical data are combined for renderingon a 3D display, such as by detecting depth values occurring in the 3Dimage data, and setting auxiliary depth values for the auxiliarygraphical data adaptively independent of the detected depth values.Image data captured by individual cameras of a multi-camera system inaccordance with the present invention may convey image data to a centralelectronic control unit of the vehicle via the likes of an Ethernetconnection/bus or an LVDS connection/bus.

Note that when a reversing maneuver is not being executed, then thebird's-eye or top down or panoramic view or feature may be displayed atthe larger navigational screen or infotainment screen or other displayscreen in tandem with for example, the forward video view captured bythe forward-viewing front camera of the multi-camera surround system. Insuch a circumstance and when a reverse maneuver is not occurring, thelikes of a backlit TFT LCD reconfigurable video mirror screen may not bebacklit (and so does not display information) or may display the likesof a compass heading. Of course, during any reversing maneuver, thesystem of the present invention complies with S6.2.1.3 (Response Time)of the NPRM in that the rearview image from the rear backup camerameeting the requirements of S6.2.1 through 6.2.1.6 as displayedfull-screen on the likes of the video screen of an interior rearviewvideo mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle (and with the surroundview feature displaying on a separate display such as a largernavigational screen or infotainment screen or other screen) displays therear backup camera-captured within 2.0 seconds of the time at which thevehicle transmission is shifted into reverse gear. Also, in accordancewith S6.2.1.4 (Linger Time) of the NPRM, the rearview image is notdisplayed by the likes of the video screen of the interior rearviewvideo mirror for more than 10.0 seconds after the vehicle transmissionhas been shifted out of reverse gear (and such as in accordance with thevision systems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/285,128,filed Oct. 31, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,743,203, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Also, and inaccordance with S6.2.1.5 (Deactivation) of the NPRM, the rearview imageas captured by the rearview backup camera used in the visual displaysystem of the present invention is not extinguishable by anydriver-controlled means, and in accordance with S6.2.1.6 (DisplayLuminance) of the NPRM, and when tested in accordance with S14.2 of theNPRM, the luminance of the interior visual display used to present therearview image shall not be less than 500 candelas/square meter.

As described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/285,128, filed Oct.31, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,743,203, incorporated above, a rear visionsystem for a vehicle includes a rear backup video camera and a displaydevice. A control activates display of captured video images by thedisplay device when a transmission of the vehicle is shifted intoreverse gear and deactivates display of the video images upon shiftingof the vehicle transmission out of reverse gear once a thresholddeactivation condition is met. The threshold deactivation condition isat least one of (a) forward travel of the vehicle exceeding a thresholdspeed of forward movement after the vehicle transmission has beenshifted out of reverse gear, (b) forward travel of the vehicle exceedinga threshold distance of forward movement after the vehicle transmissionhas been shifted out of reverse gear and (c) a threshold period of timeelapsing after the vehicle transmission has been shifted out of reversegear, the threshold period of time constituting a linger time. When thereverse gear is engaged, the driver may view on the video screen thereversing image fed from a rear-mounted reversing or trailer-hitchcamera or other rear vision system or back up aid or the like until thelikes of a time has elapsed (such as about 5 seconds or about 10 secondsor thereabouts) since the reverse gear was first engaged and/or untilthe vehicle has driven forward a certain distance (such as about 10 feetor about 20 feet or about 30 feet or thereabouts) and/or until thevehicle's forward speed exceeds a threshold forward speed (such as about3 miles per hour (mph) or about 5 mph or about 7 mph or about 10 mph orthereabouts). The screen may also be pivoted (such as about a generallyvertical pivot axis) so as to be angled or canted toward the driver ofthe vehicle to enhance viewing of the reversing image at the videoscreen by the driver of the vehicle until a threshold forward speed orforward traveled distance is reached by the vehicle or a threshold timehas elapsed after shifting the vehicle out of reverse, such as describedabove. Optionally, the video display screen may be fixedly attached soas to be readily viewable by the driver of the vehicle, and may beutilized for various applications, such as a backup aid (whereby thevideo screen may be automatically activated when the vehicle is shiftedinto reverse) or a navigation screen or cabin monitor or the like.

Thus, to comply with section S6.2.1.5 (Deactivation) of the NPRM thatrequires that the rearview image shall not be extinguishable by anydriver-controlled means, and to comply with section S6.2.1.6 (DisplayLuminance) of the NPRM requires that, when tested in accordance withS14.2 of the NPRM, the luminance of an interior visual display used topresent the rearview image shall not be less than 500 candelas persquare meter (in high ambient lighting conditions), the video mirrordisplays of the present invention, when viewed through the transflectivemirror reflector of the preferred video mirror reflective element duringthe daytime operation in an equipped vehicle, are operable and operatefar in excess of a display luminance of 500 candelas per square meter,with display luminance of at least about 1,000 candelas per squaremeter, more preferably at least about 1,500 candelas per square meter,and more preferably at least about 2,000 candelas per square meter inpreferred video mirror assemblies.

However, in the event that the driver engages the reverse gear (with theignition running) and dwells in reverse for a prolonged period of time(such as for example, greater than at least about two minutes or greaterthan at least about fifteen minutes or greater than at least about fortyminutes or longer), a control of the vehicle (preferably a controlassociated with and most preferably part of the interior rearview videomirror assembly), sensing that reverse has been engaged for a periodlonger than a predetermined or threshold prolonged period, progressivelyand/or in one step reduces via photo sensor control the maximum displayluminance from its normal maximum display luminance level to a displayluminance level close to but never less than 500 candelas per squaremeter. Thus, to take an example for illustration, on a sunny day, whenambient lighting at or about the interior rearview video mirror is high(such as, for example, greater than about 100,000 lux or greater thanabout 250,000 lux), the display luminance of the video mirror display ofthe present invention may be at around 1,500 candelas per square meteror greater, but if reverse gear is engaged for longer than, for example,three minutes, then the intensity of the backlighting of the videodisplay screen is progressively reduced by a control of the interiorrearview video mirror to, for example, around 600 candelas per squaremeter, but controls to ensure that, at ambient light conditions such asare called out S6.2.1.6 (Display Luminance) of the NPRM, the displayluminance is controlled to be at least 500 candelas per square meter andno lower. By so doing, overheating of the interior rearview video mirroris mitigated or reduced or avoided, while preserving and complying withthe proposed S6.2.1.6 Display Luminance requirement.

Of course, when ambient light falls or changes or is at a light levelbelow that experienced on a sunny summer day, and preferably when thecontrol is responsive to a photosensor or photosensors located at theinterior rearview video mirror assembly itself, the displayed intensityor display luminance can be correspondingly reduced down to a nighttimedriving or low ambient lighting condition display luminance of, forexample, about 150 candelas per square meter or lower to, for example, adisplay luminance of around 100 candelas per square meter or even lower.Such reduction in display luminance as the ambient light (such asdetected by one or more photo sensors disposed at the mirror assembly)at the interior rearview video mirror assembly decreases can becontinuous or, such as via microprocessor control, can be stepped (forexample, we find it useful to vary from the highest display luminance tothe lowest display luminance in around 100 steps).

Studies have shown that rear backup accidents/incidents can occur athome driveways and/or public parking areas, where the driver enters thevehicle, turns on the ignition of the vehicle, and immediately or fairlyimmediately (such as within about one to two seconds or thereabouts ofstarting the engine) commences a reversing maneuver by shifting to areverse gear of the vehicle and pressing the accelerator. Thus, with acamera-based backup vision system, the desire and need that adriver-appreciable and driver-usable video image be made available forviewing by the driver preferably within about three seconds of initialignition on/engine startup (i.e., when the driver turns a key or pushesa button to start the vehicle engine), more preferably within about twoseconds of initial ignition on/engine startup and most preferably withinabout one second of initial ignition on/engine startup. Note that whilemany drivers turn the ignition on simultaneously with starting theengine, initial ignition on can be achieved without turning on theengine, such as by turning the key in a different direction (or turningthe key in the same direction but not all the way to the engine startposition) without starting the engine and with electrical power providedto components and/or circuitry and/or accessories of the still parkedvehicle without starting the engine. Thus, the term “initial ignitionon” as used herein encompasses the initial turning on of electricity tootherwise unpowered circuitry and/or components and/or accessories in aparked vehicle when a person, typically the driver of the vehicle, firstenters or approaches the vehicle (and can encompass the likes of remotestarters or such devices). Because, having initially turned on theengine via the vehicle ignition, the driver may shift the vehicletransmission to reverse (such as by moving the gear actuator to the “R”position) and initiate rearward movement within about three seconds (orwithin about two seconds or within about one second), it is preferableand desirable that the video images (captured by the rearward facing orrearward viewing backup camera at the rear of the vehicle) be madeavailable for driver viewing within the prescribed time of around 0-3seconds or thereabouts maximum. Also, although the likes of children areunlikely to be playing in a driveway and the like at very coldtemperatures, such as temperatures as low as about −20 or −40 degreesC., it is desirable that the video images be made available within theprescribed time even in such cold weather conditions.

Rear backup systems involve a rear mounted camera (such as a rearwardfacing or rearward viewing CMOS camera or imager or CCD camera or imageror the like), typically a NTSC camera or other standard protocol cameraor a digital camera, and a video display device or unit or module (thattypically comprises a video display screen, most commonly a backlitreconfigurable liquid crystal display screen, and associated circuitryincluding video decoders and other associated video display circuitryand/or the like). Upon initial ignition on of the vehicle and initialelectrical powering of the components of the display system, there canbe a time delay for components/circuitry during which thecomponent/circuitry is activated and warms up before it is functioningin its normal manner. Also, time may be needed to uploadalgorithms/logic from the likes of ROM/memory during this initialinitiation period. For example, and with reference to FIG. 15, almostimmediately (within about 150 milliseconds) upon ignition on (i.e.,typically when the driver turns on the engine), electricity is at leastprovided to the rear camera and the video display device, and such rearcameras can typically take from around about 500 milliseconds to around1.5 seconds (shown in FIG. 15 as about 800 milliseconds followingignition on) to be ready to provide a valid video signal as an output ona video cable or other link to the video display screen (typically atthe interior rearview mirror of the vehicle or at the instrument panelor an overhead console of the vehicle). Thus, initiation or boot-up ofthe video display device can be and preferably is initiated andelectricity is supplied thereto immediately upon initial ignition on,and preferably initiation or boot-up of the rearward viewing camera canbe and preferably is initiated and electricity is supplied theretoimmediately upon initial ignition on. Thus, preferably,initiation/boot-up of the video display device can occur simultaneouslywith and in parallel with the initiation/boot-up of the rearward viewingcamera and such initiation/boot-up does not occur serially or partiallyserially.

Video display screens of such video display devices are typically liquidcrystal video displays that, particularly at low temperatures, such asbelow about −20 degrees C. or thereabouts, may be sluggish to operate,so that the video display device is not initially responsive enough orfast enough to keep up with the image frame rate provided by the cameradevice. In other words, the driver may not see a proper or quality orusable video image of the rear blind zone being viewed by the rearwardviewing camera during its initial/initiating period. Also, the videodisplay device or module typically includes the likes of videoencoders/decoders and other ancillary circuitry, microprocessors,backlighting (such as an array of light emitting diodes or the like)and/or the like, which may require and may consume some time to activateand boot-up before they operate in their normal or full operatingstate/mode. As shown in FIG. 15, the vision or display system of thepresent invention may delay turning on the backlight of a backlit liquidcrystal video display screen of a video display device for a period oftime (such as, for example, about 1.2 seconds or thereabouts) followingthe ignition on/engine startup event so that the video display will beassuredly ready to display the video images captured by the rearwardviewing camera (but this delay may be longer and may be as long as about1.5 seconds or thereabouts, depending on when a camera ready or “valid”signal state is achieved by the display system). Thus, an OEM can choosefrom a variety of rear cameras, some of which may be faster to initiatethan others, with confidence that as long as initiation/boot-up by theselected camera is no longer than the prescribed time period (forexample around 1.2 seconds or thereabouts), the driver will not viewpoor quality/inadequate video images during the initiation period.

The vehicle and its controls, including any controls or circuitry at thecamera or video display unit or device or module, are capable ofdistinguishing a first ignition condition (when the driver of thevehicle first turns the key or pushes a button or the like to start thevehicle's engine) and thus the camera and/or the video module can becontrolled to operate different in such a first ignition condition thanin subsequent conditions or times during the driving period followingthe first ignition of the vehicle.

Thus, at the exact instant or thereabouts that a “first ignition” isdetected, the display system preferably simultaneously and in parallelactivates/initiates and boots-up the rearward viewing backup camera andthe video mirror display device. The display system of the presentinvention preferably processes signals to determine the earliest validvideo signal from the rearward viewing camera and the microsecond (or atleast substantially quickly or substantially simultaneously) that thevalid video signal is determined, the system activates the video displaydevice to turn on the likes of backlighting of the video screen todisplay images at the video display screen. It may be undesirable toactivate the video display unit until such valid video images aredetermined and available, because if the video screen is on while novideo images are received from the camera, the display may appear to thedriver of the vehicle as not functioning properly. Thus, the presentinvention operates to turn on the video display device quickly andalmost immediately following the first ignition, but delays operatingthe video display device to backlight the video screen preferably untilvalid video images are available for display, such that the videodisplay device is operated to display images only when (andsubstantially simultaneously to when) valid video images are receivedfrom the rearward viewing camera. For example, and as shown in FIG. 15,the system may delay activating the backlighting of the video displaydevice or unit or module for about 1.2 seconds following the initialignition on or triggering event, and may delay this further if no validvideo signal is received by that time from the rearward viewing videocamera.

Optionally, when commencing a reversing maneuver, the vehicle displaymay provide an alert or warning at the display screen (such as “CheckBehind the Vehicle Before Backing Up” or the like). Such warnings aretypically provided when the vehicle transmission is initially shiftedinto reverse gear. It is envisioned that such warnings or alerts shouldonly be provided during the brief initiation period and quickly removedor canceled as soon as the rearward images are available for viewing atthe display device.

Also, video display devices or units or modules may have and typicallydo have at least one and often two thermal sensors or thermistors onboard. Thus, the video display devices or units or modules are capableof sensing the ambient environment in which they are disposed. Thus, ifvery cold temperatures are sensed (such as, for example, about −40degrees C.), the display system may optionally operate or function toenhance or speed up the operation of the video display device (such asvia a higher energy boost at startup or via heating of the video displayprior to activation or the like).

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 16, an interior rearview mirrorsystem may comprise a video mirror with a video display device operableto display video images during a reversing maneuver in accordance withthe present invention. The mirror assembly may include a rearward facingor rearward viewing sensor for sensing light through the mirrorreflective element for video display dimming functions andelectrochromic mirror dimming functions. The mirror system includescircuitry and thermal algorithms for providing enhanced or fail safeliquid crystal display module operation. Optionally, the mirror systemmay include electrochromic exterior mirror assemblies and anelectrochromic interior mirror assembly.

The rearward viewing camera may be powered via any suitable power supplyat the vehicle. For example, the camera power may be provided from thevideo mirror itself (such as at about 6.6 volts nominal and at about 200mA maximum).

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include a user input or switch thatenables and/or disables the EC dimming function and the video displayfunction. The mirror button or user input function may, when theignition is on, control the EC dimming function (on/off) when thevehicle is not in reverse and control the video display function(on/off) when the vehicle is in reverse and during a reversing maneuver.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include an EC/video indicator (suchas a light emitting diode or the like), which functions to indicate tothe driver of the vehicle the status of the EC dimming function and/orthe video display function. Optionally, the indicator may operate atfull intensity only during daytime lighting conditions and may operateat a reduced intensity in lower lighting conditions, such as nighttimelighting conditions or the like. The indicator may be activated when theEC dimming function is on and deactivated when the EC dimming functionis off, and optionally the indicator may flash to indicate that thevideo display is activated or deactivated (such as when the videodisplay is deactivated during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle).

During operation of the display system, and responsive to the driver ofthe vehicle shifting the vehicle into reverse, the display system of thepresent invention may activate or power the rearward viewing camerawithin about 100 milliseconds to about 200 milliseconds following theshifting into reverse. The rearward viewing camera may be poweredthroughout the reversing maneuver and optionally may be un-powered about60 seconds after the driver of the vehicle shifts the vehicle out ofreverse (after completion of the reversing maneuver), so that the camerapower stays on for a period of time after shifting out of reverse so asto provide for a quicker response time if the vehicle is again shiftedinto reverse (such as when the driver of the vehicle may shift in andout of reverse multiple times, such as for the likes of parallelparking). Optionally, the video display unit or module may be enabled ateach new ignition cycle, and the state of the video display may beremembered after completion of a reversing maneuver or cycle (forexample, if the video display unit is turned on or off, it will remainin its selected state (on or off) until the user input or button isactuated again in a reversing cycle or ignition cycle).

Stop and go operation of vehicles is currently gaining favor for reasonsof fuel economy and the like. In a “stop and go” vehicle, the engineturns off whenever the vehicle stops, such as at a traffic light or intraffic or the like, and when, for example, in a manual transmissionvehicle, the driver shifts into neutral and the vehicle is stationary,the engine turns off and then restarts again when the driver presses theclutch. However, electrical power is maintained to the components andaccessories of the vehicle during these stop and go periods and, thus,the stopping and then restarting of the vehicle will not result in theabove prescribed delay in displaying video images due to the activationand boot-up time period of the video display device and rear backupcamera. For such vehicles, it is envisioned that the display system ofthe present invention may recognize when the engine stop occurs due totraffic stops or the like (where the key is not turned to an “off”position) and the camera may be powered during such stopped periods toprovide for a quicker response time when the vehicle engine is restartedand if the vehicle is shifted into reverse at the time of or immediatelyfollowing engine restart.

Optionally, and desirably, the video display may function to display astable and valid video image (if the signal from the rearward viewingcamera is stable and valid at that time) within between about 500milliseconds and about 1.5 seconds after the driver shifts the vehicleinto the reverse gear. Optionally, but less preferably, the videodisplay may function to display a stable and valid video image (if thesignal from the rearward viewing camera is stable and valid at thattime) within between about 900 milliseconds and about 2 seconds afterthe driver shifts the vehicle into the reverse gear, and less preferablywithin between about 1.5 seconds and about 3 seconds after the drivershifts the vehicle into the reverse gear. The video display device orunit or module may detect (and turn off the display with no flicker)when the video signal is broken, such as when the video plus and/orvideo minus wire is disconnected. The video display device or unit ormodule may shut off or deactivate immediately after the reverse signalis removed, or optionally, a delay feature may be provided or selected.

The indicator (such as a light emitting diode or the like) may beoperable to indicate to the driver the status of the EC dimming functionand/or the video display function. For example, the indicator may beactivated when the EC dimming function is activated to indicate to thedriver that the EC dimming function is working, and the indicator mayflash or otherwise alert the driver that the video display isdeactivated during a reversing maneuver (or may provide other alerts tothe driver regarding the status of the video display). Optionally, forexample, when the vehicle is in reverse and there are no video imagesprovided by, for example, about 1.5 seconds, the display system mayoperate to deactivate the video display backlight and may flash or blinkthe indicator (such as at 1 Hz or any suitable rate of flash) or varythe intensity or color of the indicator to indicate to the driver thatno video images are available. Optionally, and desirable, the system mayenable the video display and display video images immediately when agood camera video signal becomes available or present while theindicator is flashing and while the vehicle is in reverse. The videomirror display illumination may provide illumination at any suitableintensity, such as about 1,500 cd/m² or more, as viewed through atransflective mirror reflector of a transflective mirror reflectiveelement, such as by utilizing aspects of the display devices and mirrorassemblies described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Optionally, the display system of the present invention may delay orlockout user selectable display options or features during an initialreversing maneuver or the like. For example, some vehicles may provide avideo zoom feature for use when reversing a vehicle towards a trailer sothat the driver can more readily align the trailer hitch of the vehiclewith the tongue of the trailer. When video zoom is selected, therearward viewing camera and/or the video display device zooms and/orfocuses and/or crops the field of view or displayed images to show theregion immediately behind the vehicle where the ball of the trailerhitch of the vehicle is located, so that the driver can view the ball inthe displayed images and thus see the tongue of the trailer in thedisplayed video images as the vehicle approaches the trailer. Thus, witha tow check function, the rear backup camera changes its view from itsnormally broad blind zone view to a narrow or focused or zoomed viewimmediately rearward of the vehicle. Such a tow check function may beselectively actuated by the driver, such as via actuation of a userinput, such as a button or switch or the like, immediately prior to orduring a reversing maneuver.

Such a “tow check” event is a relatively infrequent event and whenoccurring, the driver is aware that a tow check should be made and/or isbeing made and can selectively activate that feature, such as via a userinput or button or the like that causes display of the zoomed in view atthe video display screen. Optionally, the display system of the presentinvention may delay activation of such a tow check feature or view untilafter a period of time following the driver shifting into a reversegear. For example, the system may prevent shifting into reverse gear andswitching to a tow check or zoomed view at the same time, but may allowfor first shifting into reverse gear and then delaying switching to thetow check or zoomed view for a threshold or minimum period of time.Thus, for example, a driver may shift the vehicle transmission intoreverse gear and may actuate or select the tow check view option (suchas via actuating a user input or button or the like) while in reversegear, but the system will operate to display the normal backup assistview for a minimum time period, such as at least about 3-5 seconds,maybe about 5-10 seconds or more or less, and will not switch to the towcheck view or display during that time period, and only after the delaytime period has elapsed will the system switch to the selected tow checkor zoomed view. When the driver shifts the vehicle out of reverse gear,the tow check view may remain available, with no delay applied if thevehicle is again shifted back into reverse gear (to allow for a driverto make multiple attempts to align the trailer hitch of the vehicle withthe tongue of the trailer via shifting the vehicle transmission in andout of reverse gear multiple times). After the vehicle is shifted out ofreverse and into a forward gear and the vehicle is driven forwardly(such as for a threshold distance or to or at a threshold speed) orafter the vehicle ignition is turned off, the system may be reset sothat the delay period is applied for subsequent shifting into reversegear.

Thus, when a driver initially starts the vehicle and shifts into reversegear, even if the driver selects or actuates the zoom function at oraround the same time as shifting into the reverse gear, the displaydevice will maintain display of the full view or uncropped view of thecamera's rearward field of view (typically at least about 130 degrees orat least about 145 degrees or more and up to or greater than around 180degrees at the rear of the vehicle) for a predetermined period of timeduring which the displayed field of view cannot be manually ormechanically changed by the driver of the vehicle. Such a delay period(during which the driver cannot override the “normal” or uncroppeddisplay of the rearward field of view of the camera) may be a period oftime of up to several seconds, such as up to about 5 seconds or more andpreferably not more than 10 seconds, depending on the particularapplication of the display system. Thus, during the delay period, thedriver cannot override display of a reasonable field of view rearward ofthe vehicle during onset of a reversing maneuver. Even if the driverselects the zoom function during the delay period, no change will occurwith the displayed images, but upon completion of the delay period, thedisplay device will display the selected zoomed images or cropped imagesor the like to assist the driver in aligning the vehicle with a trailer.

Optionally, the display system of the present invention may control ordelay operation of a navigation display device or feature immediatelyafter initial engine on and at least initially during a reversingmaneuver of the vehicle. Vehicle manufacturers and safety advocatesadvocate that a navigation system or display should only be programmedby the user when the vehicle is not moving. Such a navigation system andnavigation display screen may take up to about 6-10 seconds toinitialize. The display system of the present invention may, upondetection of a shifting of the vehicle to reverse gear, give priority todisplaying the reversing scene (and delay initialization of thenavigation screen for a period of time during which the backup cameraimages are displayed). Thus, the system overrides the initialization ofthe navigation display screen and gives priority to display of thebackup camera images and thus displays the backup camera video images asquickly as possible at the video display device. After the backup imagesare being displayed, the initiation of the navigation display device maycommence.

An interior rearview mirror assembly, such as an interior rearview videomirror assembly that incorporates a video display screen as discussedabove, may be mounted at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of thevehicle via any suitable mounting arrangement, such as, for example, asingle ball mounting arrangement or a double ball mounting arrangementor the like. Optionally, the mounting arrangement may comprise a doubleball configuration of the type shown in FIG. 14. The mountingarrangement 50 comprises a “medium ball” bracket having about aneighteen mm ball diameter, and includes an anti-camout integrated cupdesign. The nubs 52 on the inside of the cups 54 function to bottom-outon the balls or ball members 56 (such as at the inner walls ofpassageways through the ball members) at maximum travel or maximumpivoting of the balls at the mounting arm. Optionally, the mountingarrangement may have wireways or passageways for routing wires (such asfor powering and/or controlling the video screen and/or electrochromiccircuitry and/or the like) through the cups, spring and tube 58.

The interior rearview mirror assembly of the present invention may bemounted at the vehicle via any suitable mounting assembly attached to aninterior portion of the vehicle, such as to an in-cabin surface of avehicle windshield (such as to a mounting button or attachment elementadhered to the interior surface of the vehicle windshield). The mirrorassembly may be mounted at or attached to an interior portion of thevehicle (such as to a mounting button or the like at an interior surfaceof the vehicle windshield or the like) via any mounting means, such as asingle ball or single pivot mounting arrangement, or a double ball ordouble pivot mirror mounting arrangement. Examples of double pivot ordouble ball mounting arrangements are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,646,210 and 6,331,066, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The mounting assembly may be mounted to amounting button or attachment element at the vehicle windshield via abreakaway mounting construction, such as by utilizing aspects of themounting constructions described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,774,810; 6,642,851;6,483,438; 6,366,213; 6,326,900; 6,222,460; 6,172,613; 6,087,953;5,820,097; 5,377,949; 5,330,149 and/or 5,100,095, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The mountingassembly may utilize aspects of the mounting assemblies described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,318,870; 6,593,565; 6,690,268; 6,540,193; 4,936,533;5,820,097; 5,100,095; 7,249,860; 6,877,709; 6,329,925; 7,289,037;7,249,860 and/or 6,483,438, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 12/912,253, filed Oct.26, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,690, and/or International PublicationNo. WO 2010/111173, published Sep. 30, 2010, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties). Optionally, themirror assembly may incorporate a mounting arrangement of the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 7,249,860 and/or 7,448,589,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/522,446, filed Jan. 19, 2005and published Nov. 10, 2005 as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005-0248168,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The video mirror display screen or device may be operable to displayimages captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle during areversing maneuver of the vehicle (such as responsive to the vehiclegear actuator being placed in a reverse gear position or the like) toassist the driver in backing up the vehicle, and optionally may beoperable to display the compass heading or directional heading characteror icon when the vehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, suchas when the vehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road(such as by utilizing aspects of the display system described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct. 14, 2011 and publishedApr. 19, 2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). The videomirror display may comprise any suitable devices and systems andoptionally may utilize aspects of the compass display systems describedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860;7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092;5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953;6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851, and/or European patentapplication, published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 0 1043566,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Optionally, the video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 5,530,240;6,329,925; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451;7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or 6,690,268, and/or inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 andpublished Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008; and/orSer. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 asU.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The display is viewable throughthe reflective element when the display is activated to displayinformation. The display element may be any type of display element,such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, a light emittingdiode (LED) display element, such as an organic light emitting diode(OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, an electroluminescent (EL)display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD) element, a video screendisplay element or backlit thin film transistor (TFT) display element orthe like, and may be operable to display various information (asdiscrete characters, icons or the like, or in a multi-pixel manner) tothe driver of the vehicle, such as passenger side inflatable restraint(PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/or the like. The mirrorassembly and/or display may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or 7,338,177, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The thicknessesand materials of the coatings on the substrates of the reflectiveelement may be selected to provide a desired color or tint to the mirrorreflective element, such as a blue colored reflector, such as is knownin the art and such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036and/or 7,274,501, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The display or displays may comprise a video display and may utilizeaspects of the video display devices or modules described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,855,755; 6,690,268; 7,184,190; 7,274,501; 7,370,983 and/or7,446,650, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filedJun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. The video display may be operable to display imagescaptured by one or more imaging sensors or cameras at the vehicle. Theimaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168;7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454 and6,824,281, and/or International Publication No. WO 2010/099416,published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filedAug. 31, 2010, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/508,840, filedJul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S. Pat. Publication No.US-2010-0020170, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. The camera or cameras may comprise any suitablecameras or imaging sensors or camera modules, and may utilize aspects ofthe cameras or sensors described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008 and published Oct. 1, 2009 as U.S.Publication No. US-2009-0244361, and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The imaging array sensor may comprise any suitable sensor,and may utilize various imaging sensors or imaging array sensors orcameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCD sensoror other sensors or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292;6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094;6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397;6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577; 7,004,606; 7,720,580 and/or7,965,336), and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11,2008 and published Mar. 19, 2009 as International Publication No. WO2009/036176, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3,2008 and published Apr. 9, 2009 as International Publication No. WO2009/046268, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

For rear backup assist systems, various types of cameras and/or videodisplays may be utilized. Typically, rear backup cameras comprise colorvideo cameras and the video display device displays color video imagesfor viewing by the driver of the vehicle. Such color cameras compriseRGB filters (or other color filtering means), and may use a separatenear infrared filter, to cause the camera to capture color images, whilereducing blooming/pixel saturation due to near infrared radiation fromambient lighting and/or from the rear backup lighting of the vehicleand/or other lights present and operated when the reverse gear of thevehicle is selected. Also, the color filter and especially any nearinfrared filtering provided for a color rear video camera substantiallyimpacts and reduces the camera's low level light sensitivity. This isespecially so for CMOS cameras, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,550,677; 5,877,897 and/or 5,796,094, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

By dispensing with the color and near infrared filters at the camera,the full near infrared sensitivity of the CMOS imager or photosensorarray may be harnessed/utilized. Thus, the camera may view or see in thenear infrared range (typically light or energy that has a wavelengthbetween about 750 nm and about 2,500 nm or thereabouts). For example, animager comprising an array of photosensors formed bycomplementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology on asemiconductor substrate can have sensitivity to near infrared radiationout to around about 1,200 nm or thereabouts. This is especiallybeneficial because when the reversing light comes on, such lights arerich in visible light and also in near infrared light or energy, so bynot including the color and near infrared filters at the camera, theperformance of the camera is substantially enhanced in such low ambientlighting conditions. Such a camera not only provides enhancedperformance in lower ambient lighting conditions, but does so with areduced cost camera.

Also, in the likes of commercially available video mirrors supplied forvehicles today, the LCD video screen of the video display device usedhas RGB filters or color mosaic pattern filters associated with thelikes of individually addressable pixels of themulti-pixel/reconfigurable liquid crystal display screen, and with thescreen backlit by a plurality of light emitting light sources (such aswhite light emitting light emitting diodes or the like) operable, whenpowered, to generate a backlighting intensity to the rear of the videoscreen employed of at least about 30,000 candelas/m² (such as byutilizing aspects of the display systems described in U.S. Pat. No.7,855,755, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety) so as to provide a display intensity of video images and otherinformation displayed to and viewed by the driver of the vehicle throughthe transflective mirror reflector of the likes of an electrochromicinterior rearview mirror reflective element utilized of at least about400 cd/m² as viewed by the driver normally operating the vehicleequipped with the display system. Thus, the provision of color videodisplay for viewing by the driver of the vehicle comes at the price oflower light transmission for backlighting through the color mask orfilter of the display screen and, thus, requires a high level ofbacklighting intensity to provide the desired display intensity for allviewing conditions, including higher ambient lighting conditions, suchas a sunny day, and such a high level of backlighting intensity isespecially required or desired when the video screen is viewed through atransflective reflector of a video mirror assembly, such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 7,184,190; 7,274,501; 7,370,983; 7,446,650and/or 7,855,755, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. Thus, the provision of color video display adds costand complexity to the vision system, and requires powerful backlightingand color filtering (and optionally near infrared filtering and thelike).

For a color video display screen, the color filter or mask at thedisplay screen attenuates or reduces light transmission through thedisplay screen by a factor of between about two and three or thereabouts(and could reduce transmission by more or less depending on theparticular application), and thus the color filters or masks reduce thebacklighting that passes through the display screen for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle. Thus, with the color filter or mask removed, thedisplay device may provide comparable display intensity with only aboutone-half as many to about two-thirds as many backlighting light emittingdiodes, and/or the backlighting light emitting diodes may individuallyoperate at a lower intensity and/or electrical current. Thus, theun-filtered display screen may operate with a reduced number ofbacklighting light emitting diodes or at a reduced intensity, whichresults in reduced power consumption by the powered backlighting lightemitting diodes and reduced heat generated by the powered backlightinglight emitting diodes, which achieves a reduction in the cost tomanufacture and operate the display screen.

Optionally, a video display system of the present invention may utilizea monochromatic camera and video display to provide a reduced cost videodisplay system for a vehicle. For example, and with reference to FIG.17, a video display video display system 120 may comprise amonochromatic video camera 122 and a monochromatic video display 124(such as a video mirror display screen incorporated in an interiorrearview mirror assembly 126 or the like). As shown in FIG. 17, thecamera 122 comprises a rearward facing or rearward viewing cameradisposed at a rear exterior portion of the vehicle 128, and the cameracaptures images of the rearward scene and communicates an output signalto the video display 124 (such as via a wired link or a wireless link ora network bus of the vehicle or the like). The video camera may comprisea CMOS camera (and associated circuitry) with no color filtering (forexample, with no RGB filtering or mosaic color filtering or Bayerpattern filtering or the like) at the photosensing pixels of the camera.Optionally, the video camera may comprise photosensing pixels that aresensitive to infrared or near infrared light (such as by utilizingaspects of the video cameras described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677;5,877,897 and/or 5,796,094, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties), and the video camera may not include anynear infrared filter or the like. Thus, the rearward viewing camera mayprovide enhanced sensitivity at lower lighting conditions, without theconcern of an adverse effect on the color or tint of the capturedimages.

The video display unit or module 124 includes a video display screen,such as a backlit liquid crystal display screen, and a plurality ofbacklighting light emitting diodes. Because the video display screendoes not include the color filtering of known color video displayscreens, the backlighting may provide a reduced backlighting intensity,such as a backlighting intensity of no more than about 25,000 cd/m² orthereabouts, and preferably greater than about 10,000 cd/m² orthereabouts. With a monochromatic CMOS camera combined with amonochromatic video display, and with a video mirror construction ofeither prismatic type or electrochromic type (such as described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 7,184,190; 7,274,501 and/or 7,855,755, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), where atransflective interior mirror reflective element is utilized, it isfound that a backlighting intensity of no more than about 25,000 cd/m²or thereabouts, and preferably greater than about 10,000 cd/m² orthereabouts, provides a driver-viewed display intensity of at leastabout 400 cd/m² as displayed through the transflective mirror reflectorin a display on demand display configuration and as viewed by the drivernormally operating the vehicle. It is found that dispensing with colorfilters at both the display screen and the rear backup camera, alliedwith the dispensing/non-utilization of near infrared filtering at therear backup camera, results in video display of monochrome images in aneconomical and affordable manner, and with the monochrome images readilyusable and appreciable by a driver executing a reversing maneuver, andwith the monochrome video images in compliance with the Notice ofProposed new Rule Making (NPRM) issued by the Department ofTransportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)and discussed and incorporated by reference above and with the captionof the NPRM shown in FIG. 2 and aspects of the proposed Final Rulesummarized/captured in FIGS. 3-5.

Although preferable to use a plurality of white light emitting LEDs tobacklight a thin film transistor reconfigurable video display screen inthe likes of an interior video mirror assembly, a plurality of similarlycolored LEDs may optionally be used. For example, a plurality of red oramber LEDs may be utilized for backlighting a monochromatic videoscreen, whereupon the monochrome images displayed and seen arerespectively tinted. Such tinted monochrome video displays may be moreaffordable given that individual red light emitting or amber lightemitting LEDs can cost less than corresponding white light emittingLEDs.

Thus, the combination of a monochromatic video mirror screen and amonochromatic rearward viewing camera provides enhanced image captureand image display properties, such as at lower lighting conditions, andcan do so at reduced cost and complexity of the display system. The CMOSphotosensor array or camera with no color filter (unfiltered) operatesto capture unattenuated light (with no color filter and no near IRfilter or the like), and the sensitivity of such cameras provideenhanced sensitivity in the infrared range and near infrared range ofthe electromagnetic spectrum. The monochromatic CMOS camera is incommunication with a video screen that also has no color filters. Thus,the camera is more sensitive at lower lighting levels and the displayscreen can operate at lower backlighting intensities, while stillproviding the desired or appropriate display intensity for viewing bythe driver of the vehicle. Thus, the driver can readily view andappreciate the displayed image and the displayed image may provideenhanced contrast to ease the viewability and discernibility of thedisplayed images.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149 and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176 and/or 7,480,149, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a vehicle visionsystem, such as a forwardly, sidewardly or rearwardly directed vehiclevision system utilizing principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331; 6,222,447;6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642;6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563;6,891,563; 6,946,978 and/or 7,859,565, and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 61/570,017, filed Dec. 13, 2011; Ser. No.61/568,791, filed Dec. 9, 2011; Ser. No. 61/567,446, filed Dec. 6, 2011;Ser. No. 61/567,150, filed Dec. 6, 2011; Ser. No. 61/565,713, filed Dec.1, 2011; Ser. No. 61/563,965, filed Nov. 28, 2011; Ser. No. 61/559,970,filed Nov. 15, 2011; Ser. No. 61/556,556, filed Nov. 7, 2011; Ser. No.61/554,663, filed Nov. 2, 2011; Ser. No. 61/550,664, filed Oct. 24,2011; Ser. No. 61/552,167, filed Oct. 27, 2011; Ser. No. 61/548,902,filed Oct. 19, 2011; Ser. No. 61/540,256, filed Sep. 28, 2011; Ser. No.61/539,049, filed Sep. 26, 2011; Ser. No. 61/537,279, filed Sep. 21,2011; Ser. No. 61/513,745, filed Aug. 1, 2011; Ser. No. 61/511,738,filed Jul. 26, 2011; Ser. No. 61/503,098, filed Jun. 30, 2011, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, atrailer hitching aid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974 and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.61/496,090, filed Jun. 13, 2011, and/or Ser. No. 61/436,397, filed Jan.26, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577;5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30,2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687,filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties, a video device for internal cabin surveillanceand/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar.9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a traffic signrecognition system, a system for determining a distance to a leading ortrailing vehicle or object, such as a system utilizing the principlesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,451 and/or7,480,149, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 andpublished Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0097469, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include user inputs that maycomprise buttons or switches for controlling or activating/deactivatingone or more electrical accessories or devices of or associated with themirror assembly. The mirror assembly may comprise any type of switchesor buttons, such as touch or proximity sensing switches, such as touchor proximity switches of the types described above, or the inputs maycomprise other types of buttons or switches, such as those described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,001,486; 6,310,611; 6,320,282; 6,627,918; 6,690,268;7,224,324; 7,249,860; 7,253,723; 7,255,451; 7,360,932 and/or 7,446,924,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018,and/or Ser. No. 12/576,550, filed Oct. 12, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No.8,465,161, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, or such as fabric-made position detectors, such asthose described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,504,531; 6,501,465; 6,492,980;6,452,479; 6,437,258 and 6,369,804, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the user inputs or buttons may comprise user inputs for agarage door opening system, such as a vehicle based garage door openingsystem of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,408; 6,362,771;7,023,322 and 5,798,688, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The user inputs may also or otherwisefunction to activate and deactivate a display or function or accessory,and/or may activate/deactivate and/or commence a calibration of acompass system of the mirror assembly and/or vehicle. The compass systemmay include compass sensors and circuitry within the mirror assembly orwithin a compass pod or module at or near or associated with the mirrorassembly. Optionally, the user inputs may also or otherwise compriseuser inputs for a telematics system of the vehicle, such as, forexample, an ONSTAR® system as found in General Motors vehicles and/orsuch as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154;5,255,442; 5,632,092; 5,798,688; 5,971,552; 5,924,212; 6,243,003;6,278,377; 6,420,975; 6,477,464; 6,946,978; 7,308,341; 7,167,796;7,657,052; 7,004,593 and/or 6,678,614, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 asU.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more otheraccessories at or within the mirror casing or otherwise associated withor near the mirror assembly, such as one or more electrical orelectronic devices or accessories, such as antennas, including globalpositioning system (GPS) or cellular phone antennas, such as disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,552, a communication module, such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,798,688, a blind spot detection system, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, transmittersand/or receivers, such as a garage door opener or the like, a digitalnetwork, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,575, a high/lowheadlamp controller, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094and/or 5,715,093 and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.61/785,565, filed May 15, 2009, a memory mirror system, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,176, a hands-free phone attachment, avideo device for internal cabin surveillance and/or video telephonefunction, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962 and/or5,877,897, a remote keyless entry receiver, lights, such as map readinglights or one or more other lights or illumination sources, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,657,052; 6,690,268; 5,938,321; 5,813,745;5,820,245; 5,673,994; 5,649,756; 5,178,448; 5,671,996; 4,646,210;4,733,336; 4,807,096; 6,042,253; 5,669,698; 7,195,381; 6,971,775 and/or7,249,860, microphones, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,243,003;6,278,377 and/or 6,420,975, speakers, antennas, including globalpositioning system (GPS) or cellular phone antennas, such as disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,552, a communication module, such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,798,688, a voice recorder, a blind spot or objectdetection system, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,058,977;7,720,580; 5,929,786; 5,786,772; 7,492,281; 7,038,577 and 6,882,287,transmitters and/or receivers, such as for a garage door opener or avehicle door unlocking system or the like (such as a remote keylessentry system), a digital network, such as described in U.S. Pat. No.5,798,575, a high/low headlamp controller, such as a camera-basedheadlamp control, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094 and/or5,715,093, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/785,565,filed May 15, 2009, a memory mirror system, such as disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,796,176, a hands-free phone attachment, an imaging system orcomponents or circuitry or display thereof, such as an imaging and/ordisplay system of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,881,496;7,526,103; 7,400,435; 6,690,268 and 6,847,487, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 and published Apr.22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0097469; and/or Ser. No.12/508,840, filed Jul. 24, 2009 and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S.Publication No. US-2010-0020170, an alert system, such as an alertsystem of the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US2010/25545,filed Feb. 26, 2010, a video device for internal cabin surveillance(such as for sleep detection or driver drowsiness detection or the like)and/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,760,962 and/or 5,877,897, a remote keyless entry receiver, a seatoccupancy detector, a remote starter control, a yaw sensor, a clock, acarbon monoxide detector, status displays, such as displays that displaya status of a door of the vehicle, a transmission selection (4 wd/2 wdor traction control (TCS) or the like), an antilock braking system, aroad condition (that may warn the driver of icy road conditions) and/orthe like, a trip computer, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)receiver (such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,124,647; 6,294,989;6,445,287; 6,472,979; 6,731,205 and/or 7,423,522, and/or an ONSTAR®system, a compass, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,212;4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442 and/or 5,632,092, a controlsystem, such as a control system of the types described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US10/38477, filed Jun. 14, 2010 and published Dec.16, 2010 as International Publication No. WO 2010/144900, and/or anyother accessory or circuitry or the like (with the disclosures of theabove-referenced patents and patent applications and provisionalapplications and PCT applications being hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties).

The accessory or accessories may be positioned at or within the mirrorcasing and may be included on or integrated in the printed circuit boardpositioned within the mirror casing, such as along a rear surface of thereflective element or elsewhere within a cavity defined by the casing,without affecting the scope of the present invention. The useractuatable inputs described above may be actuatable to control and/oradjust the accessories of the mirror assembly/system and/or an overheadconsole and/or an accessory module/windshield electronics module and/orthe vehicle. The connection or link between the controls and the systemsor accessories may be provided via vehicle electronic or communicationsystems and the like, and may be connected via various protocols ornodes, such as BLUETOOTH®, SCP, UBP, J1850, CAN J2284, Fire Wire 1394,MOST, LIN, FLEXRAY™, Byte Flight and/or the like, or other vehicle-basedor in-vehicle communication links or systems (such as WIFI and/or IRDA)and/or the like, depending on the particular application of themirror/accessory system and the vehicle. Optionally, the connections orlinks may be provided via wireless connectivity or links, such as via awireless communication network or system, such as described in U.S. Pat.No. 7,004,593, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, a reflective element assembly of the present invention (suchas for an interior or exterior rearview mirror assembly) may include aphoto sensor or light sensor (such as the types described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,831,268; 6,742,904; 6,737,629; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 4,799,768;4,793,690 and/or 7,004,593, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties) at the rear or fourth surface of thereflective element assembly, such that the photo sensor detects lightpassing through the reflective element assembly. Examples of suchconfigurations are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,690; 5,550,677;5,193,029 and/or 7,004,593, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The reflective element assembly thus mayhave a window or transmissive port or portion at the photo sensor. Thereflective element assembly may have a fixed attenuation such that onlya relatively small amount of light passes therethrough, such as about 12to 25 percent of the light incident on the reflective element assembly,such that the signal to dark current ratio generated at the sensor maybe substantially reduced. Because the photo sensor may have a relativelysmall sensing area, the sensor may not receive or sense a substantialamount of light passing through the reflective element assembly.Therefore, it is envisioned that a light concentrator (such as a lensand/or light channel and/or light pipe and/or other light concentratingdevice) may be positioned at the photo sensor to focus or direct thelight passing through a larger area of the reflective element assemblyonto the smaller sensing area of the photo sensor.

Note that mirror cells or reflective element assemblies such asdescribed herein can be included in complete mirror assemblies thatinclude a variety of added-features, such as lighting, telematicsfunctionality and electronics, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,657,052; 7,308,341; 7,195,381; 7,167,796; 7,004,593; 6,690,268;6,477,464; 6,472,979; 6,445,287; 6,420,975; 6,294,989; 6,278,377;6,243,003; 6,042,253; 5,938,321; 5,924,212; 5,813,745; 5,820,245;5,669,698; 5,673,994; 5,671,996; 5,649,756; 5,632,092; 5,255,442;5,178,448; 5,131,154; 4,937,945; 4,862,594; 4,807,096; 4,733,336 and/or4,646,210, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. A vehicular multi-camera surround view system, said vehicularmulti-camera surround view system comprising: a front camera disposed ata front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular multi-camerasurround view system, said front camera having a field of view exteriorand at least forward of the equipped vehicle; said front camera operableto capture image data; a driver-side camera disposed at a driver sideexterior sideview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, saiddriver-side camera having a field of view exterior and at least sidewardof the equipped vehicle; said driver-side camera operable to captureimage data; a passenger-side camera disposed at a passenger sideexterior sideview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, saidpassenger-side camera having a field of view exterior and at leastsideward of the equipped vehicle; said passenger-side camera operable tocapture image data; a rear backup camera disposed at a rear portion ofthe equipped vehicle, said rear backup camera having a field of viewexterior and at least rearward of the equipped vehicle; said rear backupcamera viewing a rear blind zone at the rear of the equipped vehiclethat is not viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when reversingthe equipped vehicle; said rear backup camera operable to capture imagedata; wherein said rear backup camera comprises a CMOS imaging arraysensor; wherein the field of view of said rear backup camera is at least180 degrees; an electronic control unit disposed in the equippedvehicle; wherein image data captured by said front camera is conveyed tosaid electronic control unit; wherein image data captured by saiddriver-side camera is conveyed to said electronic control unit; whereinimage data captured by said passenger-side camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit; wherein image data captured by said rear backupcamera is conveyed to said electronic control unit; wherein saidelectronic control unit is operable to combine image data conveyed fromsaid front camera, said driver-side camera, said passenger-side cameraand said rear backup camera to form composite video images (i) derivedfrom image data captured by said rear backup camera, (ii) derived fromimage data captured by said driver-side camera, (iii) derived from imagedata captured by said passenger-side camera and (iv) derived from imagedata captured by said front camera; wherein said electronic control unitis operable to output said composite video images for display at adisplay device, said display device comprising a video display screendisposed in an interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable bythe driver of the equipped vehicle, wherein said composite video imagesas displayed on said video display screen provide a bird's eye view thatenhances the driver's understanding of areas surrounding the equippedvehicle; wherein said video display screen has a diagonal dimension ofat least 7 inches; wherein said electronic control unit is operable toprocess image data conveyed from said rear backup camera to form rearbackup video images derived from image data captured by said rear backupcamera; wherein said electronic control unit is operable to output saidrear backup video images for display on said video display screen toallow the driver viewing said rear backup video images displayed on saidvideo display screen to see into the rear blind zone at the rear of theequipped vehicle when reversing the equipped vehicle; wherein initialignition on of the equipped vehicle commences a new ignition cycle ofthe equipped vehicle; wherein said electronic control unit processesimage data conveyed from said rear backup camera to form rear backupvideo images derived from image data captured by said rear backup cameraand outputs said rear backup video images to said display device fordisplay on said video display screen to allow the driver, when viewingsaid rear backup video images displayed on said video display screen, tosee into the rear blind zone at the rear of the equipped vehicle whenreversing the equipped vehicle; wherein said rear backup video imagesthat are derived from image data captured by said rear backup camera aredisplayed on said video display screen for viewing by the driver of theequipped vehicle no later than 2 seconds after the driver of theequipped vehicle first changes propulsion of the equipped vehicle duringthe new ignition cycle to reverse mode to commence a first backup event;wherein, upon changing propulsion of the equipped vehicle by the driverof the equipped vehicle during the new ignition cycle to reverse mode tocommence a backup event subsequent to the first backup event and untilthe subsequent backup event is completed, said video display screendisplays video images derived, at least in part, from image datacaptured by said rear backup camera; wherein said video display screenis operable to display navigation information for viewing by the driverof the equipped vehicle other than when a backup event is being executedby the driver of the equipped vehicle; wherein said video display screenis operable to display infotainment information for viewing by thedriver of the equipped vehicle other than when a backup event is beingexecuted by the driver of the equipped vehicle; and wherein a valid andstable video signal is available from said rear backup camera no laterthan 500 milliseconds after electricity is provided to said rear backupcamera.
 2. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1,wherein electricity is provided to said rear backup camera within 150milliseconds of ignition on.
 3. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 2, wherein said video display screen has an aspect ratioof 16:9.
 4. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 2,wherein said video display screen is disposed at a rearview mirrorassembly of the equipped vehicle.
 5. The vehicular multi-camera surroundview system of claim 2, wherein said video display screen is disposed atan instrument panel of the equipped vehicle.
 6. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 2, wherein said video displayscreen is disposed at a center console of the equipped vehicle.
 7. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 2, wherein saidvideo display screen comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED)display screen.
 8. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system ofclaim 2, wherein said video display screen comprises a thin filmtransistor (TFT) liquid crystal display screen.
 9. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein said vehicularmulti-camera surround view system operates in an initial condition thatapplies to the first backup event, and wherein said vehicularmulti-camera surround view system operates different than how saidvehicular multi-camera surround view system operates in the initialcondition during subsequent backup events of the equipped vehicle thatoccur during the new ignition cycle after the first backup event iscompleted.
 10. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim1, wherein said vehicular multi-camera surround view system displays, onsaid video display screen, rear backup video images derived from imagedata captured by said rear backup camera no later than 500 millisecondsafter the driver of the equipped vehicle changes propulsion of theequipped vehicle to reverse mode to commence the first backup event. 11.The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein saidvehicular multi-camera surround view system displays, on said videodisplay screen, rear backup video images derived from image datacaptured by said rear backup camera no later than 900 milliseconds afterthe driver of the equipped vehicle changes propulsion of the equippedvehicle to reverse mode to commence the first backup event.
 12. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein saidvehicular multi-camera surround view system displays, on said videodisplay screen, rear backup video images derive from image data capturedby said rear backup camera no later than 1,500 milliseconds after thedriver of the equipped vehicle changes propulsion of the equippedvehicle to reverse mode to commence the first backup event.
 13. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein a userinput is provided that, when operated by the driver of the equippedvehicle, changes display on said video display screen, during a backupevent, to zoomed video images derived from image data captured by saidrear backup camera.
 14. The vehicular multi-camera surround view systemof claim 13, wherein the equipped vehicle comprises a trailer hitch, andwherein the field of view of said rear backup camera includes thetrailer hitch, and wherein the zoomed video images comprise video imagesof the trailer hitch that are displayed on said video display screen sothat the driver of the equipped vehicle can view the trailer hitch whenmaneuvering the equipped vehicle to connect a ball of the trailer hitchto a tongue of a trailer.
 15. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 1, wherein image data conveyed from said front camera,said driver-side camera, said passenger-side camera and said rear backupcamera is combined at said electronic control unit to form saidcomposite video images, and wherein said electronic control unit outputssaid composite video images for display on said video display screen ofsaid display device, and wherein said video display screen displays saidcomposite video images during a backup event of the equipped vehicle,said composite video images as displayed on said video display screenproviding the bird's eye view that enhances the driver's understandingof areas surrounding the equipped vehicle.
 16. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 15, wherein said vehicularmulti-camera surround view system comprises a user input operable by thedriver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein display of said compositevideo images on said video display screen is responsive to operation ofsaid user input by the driver of the equipped vehicle.
 17. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein image dataconveyed from said front camera, said driver-side camera, saidpassenger-side camera and said rear backup camera is combined at saidelectronic control unit to form said composite video images.
 18. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 17, wherein saidvideo display screen displays rear backup video images that are derivedfrom image data captured by said rear backup camera in tandem withdisplay of said composite video images, said rear backup video imagesdisplayed on said video display screen allowing the driver to see intothe rear blind zone at the rear of the equipped vehicle when reversingthe equipped vehicle and said composite video images providing a bird'seye view that enhances the driver's understanding of areas surroundingthe equipped vehicle.
 19. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 1, wherein a valid and stable video signal is availablefrom said rear backup camera within between 500 milliseconds and 1,500milliseconds after electricity is provided to said rear backup camera.20. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1, whereinthe equipped vehicle comprises a trailer hitch, and wherein the trailerhitch is within the field of view of said rear backup camera, andwherein image data captured by said rear backup camera is cropped toform zoomed video images of the trailer hitch that are displayed on saidvideo display screen.
 21. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 1, wherein, during a backup event of the equippedvehicle, image data captured by said rear backup camera is provided toand is processed by an image processor to generate an alert that alertsthe driver of the equipped vehicle to presence of an object rearward ofthe equipped vehicle.
 22. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 1, wherein, with reverse mode of propulsion of theequipped vehicle having been selected by the driver of the equippedvehicle to commence a backup event, video images derived, at least inpart, from image data captured by said rear backup camera are displayedon said video display screen while propulsion of the equipped vehicleremains in reverse mode and cease to be displayed upon changing by thedriver of propulsion of the equipped vehicle out of reverse mode. 23.The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein,with reverse mode of propulsion of the equipped vehicle having beenselected by the driver of the equipped vehicle to commence a backupevent, video images derived, at least in part, from image data capturedby said rear backup camera are displayed on said video display screenwhile propulsion of the equipped vehicle remains in reverse mode andcontinue to be displayed after changing by the driver of propulsion ofthe equipped vehicle out of reverse mode until a threshold condition ismet, display on said video display screen of said rear backup videoimages derived from image data captured by said rear backup camera andformed at said electronic control unit ceasing when the thresholdcondition is met.
 24. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system ofclaim 23, wherein the threshold condition is met when propulsion of theequipped vehicle is changed by the driver out of reverse mode and theequipped vehicle travels forward at least a threshold distance.
 25. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 24, wherein thethreshold distance is no longer than 30 feet.
 26. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 23, wherein the thresholdcondition is met when propulsion of the equipped vehicle is changed bythe driver out of reverse mode and the equipped vehicle drives forwardand the equipped vehicle's forward motion reaches a threshold speed. 27.The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 26, wherein thethreshold speed is not more than 10 miles per hour.
 28. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 23, wherein the thresholdcondition is met when a time period elapses after propulsion of theequipped vehicle is changed by the driver out of reverse mode.
 29. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 28, wherein thetime period is not longer than 10 seconds.
 30. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein within 200milliseconds of initial ignition on of the equipped vehicle thatcommences the new ignition cycle of the equipped vehicle, said rearbackup camera is electrically powered.
 31. The vehicular multi-camerasurround view system of claim 1, wherein within 150 milliseconds ofinitial ignition on of the equipped vehicle that commences the newignition cycle of the equipped vehicle, said rear backup camera iselectrically powered.
 32. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 1, wherein within 100 milliseconds of initial ignitionon of the equipped vehicle that commences the new ignition cycle of theequipped vehicle, said rear backup camera is electrically powered. 33.The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein, atinitial ignition on that commences the new ignition cycle of theequipped vehicle, initiation of said display device and initiation ofsaid rear backup camera occur in parallel.
 34. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein said front portionof the equipped vehicle comprises a grille at the front of the equippedvehicle.
 35. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 1,wherein image data captured by said front camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit via Ethernet, and wherein image data captured bysaid driver-side camera is conveyed to said electronic control unit viaEthernet, and wherein image data captured by said passenger-side camerais conveyed to said electronic control unit via Ethernet, and whereinimage data captured by said rear backup camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit via Ethernet.
 36. The vehicular multi-camerasurround view system of claim 1, wherein said front camera comprises ananalog front camera, and wherein image data captured by said analogfront camera is conveyed using an NTSC standard to said electroniccontrol unit, and wherein said driver-side camera comprises an analogdriver-side camera, and wherein image data captured by said analogdriver-side camera is conveyed using the NTSC standard to saidelectronic control unit, and wherein said passenger-side cameracomprises an analog passenger-side camera, and wherein image datacaptured by said analog passenger-side camera is conveyed using the NTSCstandard to said electronic control unit, and wherein said rear backupcamera comprises an analog rear backup camera, and wherein image datacaptured by said analog rear backup camera is conveyed using the NTSCstandard to said electronic control unit.
 37. The vehicular multi-camerasurround view system of claim 1, wherein said front camera comprises adigital front camera, and wherein image data captured by said digitalfront camera is conveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, andwherein said driver-side camera comprises a digital driver-side camera,and wherein image data captured by said digital driver-side camera isconveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, and wherein saidpassenger-side camera comprises a digital passenger-side camera, andwherein image data captured by said digital passenger-side camera isconveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, and wherein saidrear backup camera comprises a digital rear backup camera, and whereinimage data captured by said digital rear backup camera is conveyeddigitally to said electronic control unit.
 38. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 1, wherein image datacaptured by said front camera is conveyed to said electronic controlunit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), and wherein imagedata captured by said driver-side camera is conveyed to said electroniccontrol unit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), and whereinimage data captured by said passenger-side camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS),and wherein image data captured by said rear backup camera is conveyedto said electronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling(LVDS).
 39. A vehicular multi-camera surround view system, saidvehicular multi-camera surround view system comprising: a front digitalcamera disposed at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with saidvehicular multi-camera surround view system, said front digital camerahaving a field of view exterior and at least forward of the equippedvehicle; said front digital camera operable to capture image data; adriver-side digital camera disposed at a driver side exterior sideviewmirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said driver-side digital camerahaving a field of view exterior and at least sideward of the equippedvehicle; said driver-side digital camera operable to capture image data;a passenger-side digital camera disposed at a passenger side exteriorsideview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-sidedigital camera having a field of view exterior and at least sideward ofthe equipped vehicle; said passenger-side digital camera operable tocapture image data; a rear backup digital camera disposed at a rearportion of the equipped vehicle, said rear backup digital camera havinga field of view exterior and at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;said rear backup digital camera viewing a rear blind zone at the rear ofthe equipped vehicle that is not viewable by a driver of the equippedvehicle when reversing the equipped vehicle; said rear backup digitalcamera operable to capture image data; wherein said rear backup digitalcamera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor; an electronic control unitdisposed in the equipped vehicle; wherein image data captured by saidfront digital camera is conveyed digitally to said electronic controlunit; wherein image data captured by said driver-side digital camera isconveyed digitally to said electronic control unit; wherein image datacaptured by said passenger-side digital camera is conveyed digitally tosaid electronic control unit; wherein image data captured by said rearbackup digital camera is conveyed digitally to said electronic controlunit; wherein said electronic control unit is operable to combine imagedata conveyed digitally from said front digital camera, said driver-sidedigital camera, said passenger-side digital camera and said rear backupdigital camera to form composite video images (i) derived from imagedata captured by said rear backup digital camera, (ii) derived fromimage data captured by said driver-side digital camera, (iii) derivedfrom image data captured by said passenger-side digital camera and (iv)derived from image data captured by said front digital camera; whereinsaid electronic control unit is operable to output said composite videoimages for display at a display device, said display device comprising avideo display screen disposed in an interior cabin of the equippedvehicle and viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle, wherein saidcomposite video images as displayed on said video display screen providea bird's eye view that enhances the driver's understanding of areassurrounding the equipped vehicle; wherein said video display screen hasa diagonal dimension of at least 5 inches; wherein said electroniccontrol unit is operable to process image data conveyed from said rearbackup digital camera to form rear backup video images derived fromimage data captured by said rear backup digital camera; wherein saidelectronic control unit is operable to output said rear backup videoimages for display on said video display screen to allow the driverviewing said rear backup video images displayed on said video displayscreen to see into the rear blind zone at the rear of the equippedvehicle when reversing the equipped vehicle; wherein initial ignition onof the equipped vehicle commences a new ignition cycle of the equippedvehicle; wherein said electronic control unit processes image dataconveyed from said rear backup digital camera to form rear backup videoimages derived from image data captured by said rear backup digitalcamera and outputs said rear backup video images to said display devicefor display on said video display screen to allow the driver, whenviewing said rear backup video images displayed on said video displayscreen, to see into the rear blind zone at the rear of the equippedvehicle when reversing the equipped vehicle; wherein said rear backupvideo images that are derived from image data captured by said rearbackup digital camera are displayed on said video display screen forviewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle no later than 2 secondsafter the driver of the equipped vehicle first changes propulsion of theequipped vehicle during the new ignition cycle to reverse mode tocommence a first backup event; wherein, upon changing propulsion of theequipped vehicle by the driver of the equipped vehicle during the newignition cycle to reverse mode to commence a backup event subsequent tothe first backup event and until the subsequent backup event iscompleted, said video display screen displays video images derived, atleast in part, from image data captured by said rear backup digitalcamera; and wherein electricity is provided to said rear backup digitalcamera within 150 milliseconds of ignition on.
 40. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 39, wherein image datacaptured by said front digital camera is conveyed to said electroniccontrol unit via Ethernet, and wherein image data captured by saiddriver-side digital camera is conveyed to said electronic control unitvia Ethernet, and wherein image data captured by said passenger-sidedigital camera is conveyed to said electronic control unit via Ethernet,and wherein image data captured by said rear backup digital camera isconveyed to said electronic control unit via Ethernet.
 41. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 40, wherein image datacaptured by said front digital camera is conveyed to said electroniccontrol unit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), and whereinimage data captured by said driver-side digital camera is conveyed tosaid electronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling(LVDS), and wherein image data captured by said passenger-side digitalcamera is conveyed to said electronic control unit via low-voltagedifferential signaling (LVDS), and wherein image data captured by saidrear backup digital camera is conveyed to said electronic control unitvia low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS).
 42. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 39, wherein, at initialignition on that commences the new ignition cycle of the equippedvehicle, initiation of said display device and initiation of said rearbackup digital camera occur in parallel.
 43. The vehicular multi-camerasurround view system of claim 42, wherein the field of view of said rearbackup digital camera is at least 180 degrees, and wherein said videodisplay screen has a diagonal dimension of at least 7 inches.
 44. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 43, wherein a validand stable video signal is available from said rear backup digitalcamera no later than 500 milliseconds after electricity is provided tosaid rear backup digital camera.
 45. The vehicular multi-camera surroundview system of claim 44, wherein said front portion of the equippedvehicle comprises a grille at the front of the equipped vehicle.
 46. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 42, wherein a userinput is provided that, when operated by the driver of the equippedvehicle, changes display on said video display screen, during a backupevent, to zoomed video images derived from image data captured by saidrear backup digital camera, and wherein the equipped vehicle comprises atrailer hitch, and wherein the field of view of said rear backup digitalcamera includes the trailer hitch, and wherein the zoomed video imagescomprise video images of the trailer hitch that are displayed on saidvideo display screen so that the driver of the equipped vehicle can viewthe trailer hitch when maneuvering the equipped vehicle to connect aball of the trailer hitch to a tongue of a trailer.
 47. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 42, wherein image dataconveyed from said front digital camera, said driver-side digitalcamera, said passenger-side digital camera and said rear backup digitalcamera is combined at said electronic control unit to form saidcomposite video images, and wherein said video display screen displaysrear backup video images that are derived from image data captured bysaid rear backup digital camera in tandem with display of said compositevideo images, said rear backup video images displayed on said videodisplay screen allowing the driver to see into the rear blind zone atthe rear of the equipped vehicle when reversing the equipped vehicle andsaid composite video images providing a bird's eye view that enhancesthe driver's understanding of areas surrounding the equipped vehicle.48. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 42, whereina valid and stable video signal is available from said rear backupdigital camera within between 500 milliseconds and 1,500 millisecondsafter electricity is provided to said rear backup digital camera. 49.The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 42, wherein,with reverse mode of propulsion of the equipped vehicle having beenselected by the driver of the equipped vehicle to commence a backupevent, video images derived, at least in part, from image data capturedby said rear backup digital camera are displayed on said video displayscreen while propulsion of the equipped vehicle remains in reverse modeand continue to be displayed after changing by the driver of propulsionof the equipped vehicle out of reverse mode until a threshold conditionis met, display on said video display screen of said rear backup videoimages derived from image data captured by said rear backup digitalcamera and formed at said electronic control unit ceasing when thethreshold condition is met.
 50. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 49, wherein the threshold condition is met whenpropulsion of the equipped vehicle is changed by the driver out ofreverse mode and the equipped vehicle travels forward at least athreshold distance, and wherein the threshold distance is not longerthan 30 feet.
 51. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system ofclaim 49, wherein the threshold condition is met when propulsion of theequipped vehicle is changed by the driver out of reverse mode and theequipped vehicle drives forward and the equipped vehicle's forwardmotion reaches a threshold speed, and wherein the threshold speed is notmore than 10 miles per hour.
 52. The vehicular multi-camera surroundview system of claim 49, wherein the threshold condition is met when atime period elapses after propulsion of the equipped vehicle is changedby the driver out of reverse mode, and wherein the time period is notlonger than 10 seconds.
 53. The vehicular multi-camera surround viewsystem of claim 42, wherein said video display screen is operable todisplay infotainment information for viewing by the driver of theequipped vehicle other than when a backup event is being executed by thedriver of the equipped vehicle.
 54. A vehicular multi-camera surroundview system, said vehicular multi-camera surround view systemcomprising: a front camera disposed at a front portion of a vehicleequipped with said vehicular multi-camera surround view system, saidfront camera having a field of view exterior and at least forward of theequipped vehicle; said front camera operable to capture image data; adriver-side camera disposed at a driver side exterior sideview mirrorassembly of the equipped vehicle, said driver-side camera having a fieldof view exterior and at least sideward of the equipped vehicle; saiddriver-side camera operable to capture image data; a passenger-sidecamera disposed at a passenger side exterior sideview mirror assembly ofthe equipped vehicle, said passenger-side camera having a field of viewexterior and at least sideward of the equipped vehicle; saidpassenger-side camera operable to capture image data; a rear backupcamera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, said rearbackup camera having a field of view exterior and at least rearward ofthe equipped vehicle; said rear backup camera viewing a rear blind zoneat the rear of the equipped vehicle that is not viewable by a driver ofthe equipped vehicle when reversing the equipped vehicle; said rearbackup camera operable to capture image data; wherein said rear backupcamera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor; an electronic control unitdisposed in the equipped vehicle; wherein image data captured by saidfront camera is conveyed to said electronic control unit; wherein imagedata captured by said driver-side camera is conveyed to said electroniccontrol unit; wherein image data captured by said passenger-side camerais conveyed to said electronic control unit; wherein image data capturedby said rear backup camera is conveyed to said electronic control unit;wherein said electronic control unit is operable to combine image dataconveyed from said front camera, said driver-side camera, saidpassenger-side camera and said rear backup camera to form compositevideo images (i) derived from image data captured by said rear backupcamera, (ii) derived from image data captured by said driver-sidecamera, (iii) derived from image data captured by said passenger-sidecamera and (iv) derived from image data captured by said front camera;wherein said electronic control unit is operable to output saidcomposite video images for display at a display device, said displaydevice comprising a video display screen disposed in an interior cabinof the equipped vehicle and viewable by the driver of the equippedvehicle, wherein said composite video images as displayed on said videodisplay screen provide a bird's eye view that enhances the driver'sunderstanding of areas surrounding the equipped vehicle; wherein saidvideo display screen has a diagonal dimension of at least 7 inches;wherein said electronic control unit is operable to process image dataconveyed from said rear backup camera to form rear backup video imagesderived from image data captured by said rear backup camera; whereinsaid electronic control unit is operable to output said rear backupvideo images for display on said video display screen to allow thedriver viewing said rear backup video images displayed on said videodisplay screen to see into the rear blind zone at the rear of theequipped vehicle when reversing the equipped vehicle; wherein initialignition on of the equipped vehicle commences a new ignition cycle ofthe equipped vehicle; wherein said electronic control unit processesimage data conveyed from said rear backup camera to form rear backupvideo images derived from image data captured by said rear backup cameraand outputs said rear backup video images to said display device fordisplay on said video display screen to allow the driver, when viewingsaid rear backup video images displayed on said video display screen, tosee into the rear blind zone at the rear of the equipped vehicle whenreversing the equipped vehicle; wherein said rear backup video imagesthat are derived from image data captured by said rear backup camera aredisplayed on said video display screen for viewing by the driver of theequipped vehicle no later than 2 seconds after the driver of theequipped vehicle first changes propulsion of the equipped vehicle duringthe new ignition cycle to reverse mode to commence a first backup event;wherein, upon changing propulsion of the equipped vehicle by the driverof the equipped vehicle during the new ignition cycle to reverse mode tocommence a backup event subsequent to the first backup event and untilthe subsequent backup event is completed, said video display screendisplays video images derived, at least in part, from image datacaptured by said rear backup camera; wherein image data conveyed fromsaid front camera, said driver-side camera, said passenger-side cameraand said rear backup camera is combined at said electronic control unitto form said composite video images; and wherein said video displayscreen displays rear backup video images that are derived from imagedata captured by said rear backup camera in tandem with display of saidcomposite video images, said rear backup video images displayed on saidvideo display screen allowing the driver to see into the rear blind zoneat the rear of the equipped vehicle when reversing the equipped vehicleand said composite video images providing a bird's eye view thatenhances the driver's understanding of areas surrounding the equippedvehicle.
 55. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim54, wherein said vehicular multi-camera surround view system comprises auser input operable by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and whereindisplay of said composite video images on said video display screen isresponsive to operation of said user input by the driver of the equippedvehicle.
 56. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim55, wherein electricity is provided to said rear backup camera within150 milliseconds of ignition on.
 57. The vehicular multi-camera surroundview system of claim 55, wherein a user input is provided that, whenoperated by the driver of the equipped vehicle, changes display on saidvideo display screen, during a backup event, to zoomed video imagesderived from image data captured by said rear backup camera, and whereinthe equipped vehicle comprises a trailer hitch, and wherein the field ofview of said rear backup camera includes the trailer hitch, and whereinthe zoomed video images comprise video images of the trailer hitch thatare displayed on said video display screen so that the driver of theequipped vehicle can view the trailer hitch when maneuvering theequipped vehicle to connect a ball of the trailer hitch to a tongue of atrailer.
 58. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim57, wherein the field of view of said rear backup camera is at least 180degrees.
 59. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim55, wherein, at initial ignition on that commences the new ignitioncycle of the equipped vehicle, initiation of said display device andinitiation of said rear backup camera occur in parallel.
 60. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 59, wherein, duringa backup event of the equipped vehicle, image data captured by said rearbackup camera is provided to and is processed by an image processor togenerate an alert that alerts the driver of the equipped vehicle topresence of an object rearward of the equipped vehicle.
 61. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 59, wherein saidvehicular multi-camera surround view system operates in an initialcondition that applies to the first backup event, and wherein saidvehicular multi-camera surround view system operates different than howsaid vehicular multi-camera surround view system operates in the initialcondition during subsequent backup events of the equipped vehicle thatoccur during the new ignition cycle after the first backup event iscompleted.
 62. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim59, wherein image data captured by said front camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit via Ethernet, and wherein image data captured bysaid driver-side camera is conveyed to said electronic control unit viaEthernet, and wherein image data captured by said passenger-side camerais conveyed to said electronic control unit via Ethernet, and whereinimage data captured by said rear backup camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit via Ethernet.
 63. The vehicular multi-camerasurround view system of claim 59, wherein said front camera comprises ananalog front camera, and wherein image data captured by said analogfront camera is conveyed using an NTSC standard to said electroniccontrol unit, and wherein said driver-side camera comprises an analogdriver-side camera, and wherein image data captured by said analogdriver-side camera is conveyed using the NTSC standard to saidelectronic control unit, and wherein said passenger-side cameracomprises an analog passenger-side camera, and wherein image datacaptured by said analog passenger-side camera is conveyed using the NTSCstandard to said electronic control unit, and wherein said rear backupcamera comprises an analog rear backup camera, and wherein image datacaptured by said analog rear backup camera is conveyed using the NTSCstandard to said electronic control unit.
 64. The vehicular multi-camerasurround view system of claim 59, wherein said front camera comprises adigital front camera, and wherein image data captured by said digitalfront camera is conveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, andwherein said driver-side camera comprises a digital driver-side camera,and wherein image data captured by said digital driver-side camera isconveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, and wherein saidpassenger-side camera comprises a digital passenger-side camera, andwherein image data captured by said digital passenger-side camera isconveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, and wherein saidrear backup camera comprises a digital rear backup camera, and whereinimage data captured by said digital rear backup camera is conveyeddigitally to said electronic control unit.
 65. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 59, wherein image datacaptured by said front camera is conveyed to said electronic controlunit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), and wherein imagedata captured by said driver-side camera is conveyed to said electroniccontrol unit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), and whereinimage data captured by said passenger-side camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS),and wherein image data captured by said rear backup camera is conveyedto said electronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling(LVDS).
 66. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 55,wherein a valid and stable video signal is available from said rearbackup camera within between 500 milliseconds and 1,500 millisecondsafter electricity is provided to said rear backup camera.
 67. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 55, wherein, withreverse mode of propulsion of the equipped vehicle having been selectedby the driver of the equipped vehicle to commence a backup event, videoimages derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rearbackup camera are displayed on said video display screen whilepropulsion of the equipped vehicle remains in reverse mode and continueto be displayed after changing by the driver of propulsion of theequipped vehicle out of reverse mode until a threshold condition is met,display on said video display screen of said rear backup video imagesderived from image data captured by said rear backup camera and formedat said electronic control unit ceasing when the threshold condition ismet.
 68. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 67,wherein the threshold condition is met when propulsion of the equippedvehicle is changed by the driver out of reverse mode and the equippedvehicle travels forward at least a threshold distance, and wherein thethreshold distance is not longer than 30 feet.
 69. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 67, wherein the thresholdcondition is met when propulsion of the equipped vehicle is changed bythe driver out of reverse mode and the equipped vehicle drives forwardand the equipped vehicle's forward motion reaches a threshold speed, andwherein the threshold speed is not more than 10 miles per hour.
 70. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 67, wherein thethreshold condition is met when a time period elapses after propulsionof the equipped vehicle is changed by the driver out of reverse mode,and wherein the time period is not longer than 10 seconds.
 71. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 55, wherein saidvideo display screen is operable to display infotainment information forviewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle other than when a backupevent is being executed by the driver of the equipped vehicle.
 72. Thevehicular multi-camera surround view system of claim 55, wherein a validand stable video signal is available from said rear backup camera nolater than 500 milliseconds after electricity is provided to said rearbackup camera.
 73. The vehicular multi-camera surround view system ofclaim 54, wherein image data captured by said front camera is conveyedto said electronic control unit via Ethernet, and wherein image datacaptured by said driver-side camera is conveyed to said electroniccontrol unit via Ethernet, and wherein image data captured by saidpassenger-side camera is conveyed to said electronic control unit viaEthernet, and wherein image data captured by said rear backup camera isconveyed to said electronic control unit via Ethernet.
 74. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 54, wherein said front cameracomprises an analog front camera, and wherein image data captured bysaid analog front camera is conveyed using an NTSC standard to saidelectronic control unit, and wherein said driver-side camera comprisesan analog driver-side camera, and wherein image data captured by saidanalog driver-side camera is conveyed using the NTSC standard to saidelectronic control unit, and wherein said passenger-side cameracomprises an analog passenger-side camera, and wherein image datacaptured by said analog passenger-side camera is conveyed using the NTSCstandard to said electronic control unit, and wherein said rear backupcamera comprises an analog rear backup camera, and wherein image datacaptured by said analog rear backup camera is conveyed using the NTSCstandard to said electronic control unit.
 75. The vehicular multi-camerasurround view system of claim 54, wherein said front camera comprises adigital front camera, and wherein image data captured by said digitalfront camera is conveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, andwherein said driver-side camera comprises a digital driver-side camera,and wherein image data captured by said digital driver-side camera isconveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, and wherein saidpassenger-side camera comprises a digital passenger-side camera, andwherein image data captured by said digital passenger-side camera isconveyed digitally to said electronic control unit, and wherein saidrear backup camera comprises a digital rear backup camera, and whereinimage data captured by said digital rear backup camera is conveyeddigitally to said electronic control unit.
 76. The vehicularmulti-camera surround view system of claim 54, wherein image datacaptured by said front camera is conveyed to said electronic controlunit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), and wherein imagedata captured by said driver-side camera is conveyed to said electroniccontrol unit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), and whereinimage data captured by said passenger-side camera is conveyed to saidelectronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS),and wherein image data captured by said rear backup camera is conveyedto said electronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling(LVDS).